Re: expressing DTDs with UML

[Francis Norton <francis@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Sam.Walker" wrote:
> 
[an interesting proposal to use UML diagrams to express DTDs]
>
For a more old-fashioned - but maybe equally effective - visualisation
consider IBM railroad diagrams (eg
http://www.software.ibm.com/ts/mqseries/library/manuals/amqgap/AMQGAP2X.HTM) 

They express DTD content models rather nicely, in that they can do
sequence, choice, repetition and defaults, though you'd need some extra
convention to distinguish between elements and attributes. They also
have the advantages of being modular and compact.

I know they're more flexible than they appear - although IBM use them
[AFAIK] to document the syntax of single commands, I've used them very
successfully to illustrate the permissable flow of calls within entire
comms APIs.

Francis.


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